mythologywikiaorg-20200223-history
Demon
A demon is a supernatural being prevalent historically in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, videogames, movies and television series. The original Greek word daimon does not carry negative connotations. The Ancient Greek word δαίμων daimōn denotes a spirit or divine power, much like the Latin genius or numen. The Greek conception of a daimōn notably appears in the works of Plato, where it describes the divine inspiration of Socrates. In Ancient Near Eastern religions and in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered a harmful spiritual entity which may cause demonic possession, calling for an exorcism. In Western occultism and Renaissance magic, which grew out of an amalgamation of Greco-Roman magic, Jewish Aggadah and Christian demonology, a demon is believed to be a spiritual entity that may be conjured and controlled. Myths & Legends Demons are very popular even in the modern era and can be broken down into three general categories based off of habitat: # Hell Demons # Interdimensional Demons # Earth Daimons Demons are supernatural, often spiritual entities from many different cultures, who are commonly seen as powerful beings existing between god(s) and humans. In many mythologies, Demons are terrifying, monstrous, and malevolent, and are born to spread evil and violence. These are demons that are commonly said to reside in Hell (such as demons of torment and the Fallen Angels), or in an alternate dimension/plane of existence. Hebrew and Christian culture considered all demons evil, and many of these demons are from such lore. These demons usually have an ephemeral existence, and do not necessarily have a solid form, in our the plane of reality and of physical matter. This trait could be considered to be what allows them to be good at shapeshifting and illusions. Some demons and demonic beasts are formed from the residue of negative emotions or desires (such as regret, hatred, and spite) of living beings, are created by the Devil as servants for evil, or are those who were once human and died full of negative emotions or desires. In 1589, a leading expert named Brinsfield listed major demons and their specialties correlating to the Seven Deadly Sins: * Lucifer = Pride; Satan = Wrath; Beelzebub = Gluttony; Belphegor = Sloth; Asmodeus = Lust; Mammon = Greed; Leviathan = Envy you-may-never-have-looked-inside-the-real-creepy-demon-book-from-paranormal-activity-675956.jpg|Mors 000002p761r.jpg|Depiction of The Devil Naberius.gif Some of the most famous demons are the ones said to have been subdued by King Solomon, which numbered 72: Benevolent Variant Different cultures define "demon" differently, and demons are not necessarily seen as evil, even when they do have monstrous appearances. For example, in egyptian and mesopotamian mythology demons are considered messangers who do the bidding of both benevolent and malevolent gods. In some cultures, the name demons refer to any sort of monstrous or mythical creature, such as Centaurs. These neutral, or even helpful "Demons"/"Daimons" are often said to originate and live upon the earth, and have a physical form, which is distinctly different from the other type of demons. Origins The origin of the name demon comes from the Greek 'daimon' (or spirit)., Traditionally benevolent, daimon began to take on sinister themes within the writings of Plato. When the Old Testament was translated from Hebrew to Greek, the word mal'ak was used to describe foreign or evil supernatural beings. In the New Testament writings, most of which were written in Greek originally, the word daimon became associated with Satan and his minions and thusly took on a distinctly evil meaning. Christian "Demonization" of Mythologies A classical example of these "Earth Daimons" was the Greek Pan, who was a nature spirit. The goat-like features of Pan have been adopted by Christian imagery in particular as those of demons. As Christianity continued to spread, the word demon came to describe many of the traditional animistic spirits of Northern Europe, as Christian missionaries preached against them. Over time they attempted to turn natives against their traditional, naturalistic myths by forbidding certain ceremonies and holidays, and portraying those entities as evil. The phrase "demonizing" comes from this process of rejecting foreign or contrary mythologies in the interest of spreading a new belief system. While Pan and other daimons gave the name and certain physical features to Christian demons, the habits and nature of demons as unpleasant beings of the underworld/death more resemble an amalgam of many other creatures from Mediterranean mythology, including the netherworld guards of Greece and Egypt. References Category:Demons Category:Mythical creatures Category:Mythological monsters Category:Spirits